Igniting device for internal-combustion engines.



R.4J. GIBBN. IGNITING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL GOMBUSTION ENGINES.

. APPLICATIONTILED APR. 17, 1908. 950,228. V

wAsMlNgTON. D. C-

R. J. GIBBON.

IGNITING DEVICE POR INTERNAL GOMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED 23.17. 190s.

Patented Feb.22,1910.

` "To alliwhom it may'concem:

A .i l UNITEDs'TATns PATENT OFFICE. *Y

ROBERT J. GfIiiisoN,` `or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIGNOn, BY MnsNEAssicfNilIinaT`s,` To INTERNATIONAL DEVICE COMPANY,V A CORPORATION OFSOUTH DAKOTA.

` Be it known that I, ROBERT J. GIBBON, a

` citizen of the United States, and resident of Chicago, county of Cook,and State of Illi nois, `have invented certain new and useful-lmprovements in Igniting Devices for InternalfCombustion Engines, ofwhich the following is a specification-'and which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

` The `invention relates to igniting devices A for internal combustionengines its object e a plan view of the igniting device, `Fig.'3

being to improve upon,simplify and increase the eiiciency oi: ignitingdevices comprising a plurality of electrical igniters, arranged in i acasing adapted for attachment to the engine.` v

The invention consists of the structure hereinafter described and whichvis illustrated,` in the accompanying drawings, in.

Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional View of an engine valve casingand Of the improved'ig'niting device, a portion of the engine beingshown inelevation, Fig. 2 is is a detailsection showing the binding postand a part of the switch, Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the sparkingdevice, and Fig. 5 is a sectionaly detail showing a spring pawl uforminga part ofthe device.; v

A portion offan internal combustionen# gine, such asis commonly usedingautomobile practice is `represented at and at 11 there is shown a`casing for the valve 12. This valve maybe upon either the induction orexhaust side; of the engine.' Replacing the `ordinary plugwhichcloses'the topv of the valve casing is a casing 13 within which ishoused *a plurality of spark plugs, as

\ shown four in" number and marked respectively 14 15,16 and 17, thecasing 13 being aperture in the usual way for their re- "ception,Thesespark plugs are of ordinary construction except that the outer. endof each is provided with a metallic contacttip 18l adapted forengagement by a brush form of switch as hereinafter described. The sparkplugs are arranged in an annular series. about.. the vertical axis ofthecasing 13.

The inner" end of: the casing forms a seat "for a rotating valve 19, theface of thevalve being preferably conical, and the, seatbeing, ofcourse, of complementary form. The Valve 19 has a` singleaperture 20adapted IGNITING DEVICE FOR' INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb,` 22, 1910. Applicationmea' April ir, 190s.

Serial N o. 427,605.

to register' successively with the several chambers within which thespark plugs are located. The stem 21 of the valve 19 projects throughthe casingV 13 and carries a collar 22 having a bearing upon the outerface of the casing and servingto hold the valve to its seat. Upon thevalve stein there is also mounted a switch comprising a disk 23 ofinsulating material, tightly fitted upon thev valve stem and having aperipheral metallic band 24 the outer face of which is smooth for theengagement of a brush 25'- f'ixed to a binding post 26 to whichv theelec. tric circuit may lead.

The brush 25 and binding post 26 are mounted upona block of insulatingmaterial 37 seated in a socket in the casing 13 and secured in place bymeansv of a headed screw 38. set into the casing, thescrew headprojecting laterally into a recess 39 formed in. the side ofthe block37, and beaffiii'gupon` the lower end. Of'theslot.

A brush 27 projects radially from the band 24 and is so disposed as tomake contact successively with the metallic tips 18 of the spark plugsas the valve stem is turned thereby completing the circuit from thebinding post through the band 24 to the spark plug with which the brushmakes contact.

A ratchet wheel 28. is fixed upon the valve stem 21 above the disk 23anda pawl 29A advanced by a spring 40 cooperates with this ratchetwheel` being carried by an arm 30 whose hub 31 is rotatably mounted uponthe hub 32 of the wheel. A spring 33 is` provided for retracting the arm30.. This spring is shown as attached to and` coiled around the hub 31of the arm, and having its opposite end in engagement with the stoparm34 which limits the backward movement of the arm 30. An abutment 35also` rising from the casing 13` stops the arm 30 in its advance whenthe brush 27 is in engagement with one of the spark plugs, the number ofteeth on the ratchet wheel being the saine as the number of spark plugs.

attachment of a pull rod which may extend` While there are` shown fourspark., plugs itwill be understood? that the number may vary-` accordingtothje judgment and.` desire of the designer of the engine, it being en-The armi 30 is preferably provided with an eye 36 for. the` lli)- tirelyfeasible to install a much larger number of plugs, thereby providing forthe operation of the engine continuously during a long period.

The device is especially adapted for use in connection with the firingindicator forming the subject of my concurrently pending application forLetters Patent tiled April 17, 1908, Serial N o. 427,606, although it isnot necessarily dependent thereupon.

I do not broadly claim an igniting device comprising 'a plurality ofigniters adapted to be successively brought into communication with thecombustion chamber of a gas engine, and an electric switch for directingthe current to the particular igniter in communication with suchchamber; nor do I claim such a device having the several igniters housedin a single piece adapted to be connected with the combustion chamber;nor do I claim such a device wherein the several igniters are housed inindependent pockets in such a piece, and means mounted upon such pieceare provided for exposing or isolating any one of such pockets.

I claim as my invention 1. An igniting device for internal combustionengines comprising in combination a chambered casing adapted forattachment to the engine, an annularly arranged series of electricaligniters occupying separate cells in the casing, a rotative valvecovering the inner ends of the cells and having an aperture adapted toregister with them in succession, an outwardly projecting stem for thevalve, a brush carried by and insulated from the stem and arranged tomake contact successively with outer terminals carried by-the igniters,means for connecting the brush with an electric circuit and means formoving the brush step by step into engagement with the various igniterssuccessively. Y

2. An igniting device for internal combustion engines comprising incombination a chambered casing adapted for attachment to the engine, anannularly arranged series of electrical igniters occupying separatecells in the casing, a rotative valve covering the inner ends of thecells and having an aperture adapted lto register with them insuccession, an outwardly projecting stem for the valve, a brush carriedby and insulated from the stem and arranged to make contact successivelywith outer terminals carried by the igniters, means for connecting thebrush with an electrical circuit, a ratchet wheel fixed upon the valvestem, a spring retracted arm loosely mounted on the valve stem, and aspring pawl carried by the arm and engaging the ratchet Wheel.

3. An igniting device for internal combustion engines comprising incombination a chambered casing adapted for attachment to the engine, anannularly arranged series of electrical igniters occupying separatecells in the casing, a rotative valve covering the inner ends of thecells and having an aperture adapted to register with them insuccession, an outwardly projecting stem for the valve, a brush carriedby andv insulated from the stem and arranged to make contactsuccessively with outer terminals carried by th-e igniters, means forconnecting the brush with an electric circuit, a ratchet wheel carriedby the valve stem, its teeth corresponding in number with the igniters,and a spring retracted arm loosely mounted on the valve stem andcarrying a spring pawl for engaging the ratchet wheel.

et. An igniting device for internal combustion engines comprising incombination a chambered casing adapted for attachment to the engine, anannularly arranged series of electrical igniters occupying separatecells in the casing, a rotative valve covering the inner ends of thecells and having an aperture adapted to register with them insuccession, an outwardly projecting stem for the valve, a brush carriedby and insulated from the stem and arranged to make contact successivelywith outer terminals carried by the igniters, means for connecting thebrush with an electric circuit, a ratchet wheel carried by the valvestem, its teeth corresponding in number with the igniters, a springretracted arm loosely mounted in the valve stem and carrying a springpawl for engaging the ratchet wheel, and a positive stop for limiting.the range of movement of the arm, all so disposed that at each movementof the arm the brush is shifted from one sparking device into engagementwith the next in order.

5. An igniting device for internal combustion engines comprising, incombination, a plurality of electric igniters, an electric terminalmovable successively into engagement with the igniters, and means formoving such terminal step by step.

6. An igniting device for internal combustion engines comprising, incombination, a chamber-ed casing adapted for attachment to an engine, aplurality of igniters each occupying a separate cell in the casing, avalve for controlling the cells and adapted to uncover themsuccessively, a stem for controlling the valve, an electric terminalmounted on the stem and engageable successively with the igniters andsimultaneously with the opening of the valve, and means for movingthe'valve and terminal step by step.

ROBERT J. GIBBON.

Witnesses:

Louis K. GILLsoN, I-Io'WARn GLENN.

